HASKELL COUNTY, Kansas – Kelly Anthony, a cattle rancher in southwest Kansas, drives through his pasture, blaring a siren he uses to get the attention of the herd. As he flicks it on and off, the cattle surround the truck.
Cattle ranching has been Anthony’s way of life for 25 years. Cattle ranches fuel the beef industry and the western Kansas economy. People like him also own much of the remaining native grasslands that once covered 71 million acres of the southern High Plains.
Now, 80% of those native grasslands in Kansas are lost, and cattle ranchers like Anthony could be the key to saving what’s left. A new program backed by conservation groups and the beef industry hopes to work with ranchers to conserve and restore more land.
“I really think that ranchers as a whole are the best stewards of the land, because the capital requirement to be in the cattle business is so high, the biggest portion of that is land,” Anthony said.
The native grasslands lost out to profitable fields of corn and other crops, while also being crowded out by invasive species.
Anthony hops on his horse and rides in front of sloping hills to count his cattle. Just past the hills are acres of untouched native grasses vital for a variety of species, like pronghorn deer and grassland birds including the lesser prairie chicken.
Last year, The Nature Conservancy started the Southern High Plains Initiative, backed by big brands connected to beef like Burger King and Cargill, which each contributed $5 million. Ultimately, the program so far has $42 million invested across five states to preserve or restore nearly 30 million acres of intact grasslands.
The program is using market-based incentives, basically payments, to ranchers who will preserve grassland or convert crops back to grass. Agreements could last up to 15 years in some cases with annual payments of $45 per acre.
But success will mean convincing ranchers in Kansas and elsewhere to get on board. Some, like Anthony, are a little skeptical. Ranchers are often careful who they support and protective of their lands. Sometimes, conservation groups also come with negative connotations.
Matt Bain is the Southern High Plains Grassland project manager for The Nature Conservancy. He said overcoming that skepticism will be key to making this work.
“Part of this process is to identify the barriers and to quantify them in a way that really hasn’t been done,” Bain said.
THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS cover parts of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.
Bain has a long history with these grasslands. He was a rancher in the area for 12 years before taking over this initiative.
He calls grasslands the most imperiled native ecosystem on Earth. Part of the reason is because they are often overlooked, but they provide a lot of benefits including clean air, carbon storage, habitats for prairie species and food supply.
Some environmentalists believe ranching on grassland with conservation in mind could produce beef with less of an environmental impact.
